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Studies show beef hormones still unsafe: EU

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Published: May 2, 2002

A third scientific study from the European Union that says

hormone-treated beef is unsafe to eat isn’t sitting well with Canadian

cattle producers who insist their product is safe.

“We have taken them to court three times and we won three times,” said

Neil Jahnke, president of the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association

“It’s a non-tariff trade barrier.”

While a panel of World Trade Organization scientists has found that

hormone-treated beef from Canada and the United States is safe, the EU

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refuses to accept it.

Cattle producers have asked that such rulings be considered binding and

that trade be allowed under WTO rules.

“This is clearly one of the most frustrating issues,” Jahnke said.

Canada and the U.S. have retaliated by imposing tariffs on EU food and

setting a steep tariff on European pork and beef products, as well as

food such as canned peaches, gingerbread, gin, vodka, preserved

tomatoes, wheat gluten and some cookies.

The EU has invoked the precautionary principle, which says trade can be

blocked because of further potential food safety concerns.

A News release

news from the European Commission’s office in Ottawa said the

use of hormones to promote growth in cattle poses a potential health

risk to consumers.

Published by the EU Scientific Committee on Veterinary Measures, this

third study said there is no reason to change its opinion from past

investigations.

The committee listed six hormones it finds unacceptable: estradial

17-a, progesterone, testosterone, zeranol, trenbolone acetate and

melengestrol acetete.

The committee said residues are found in fat and edible tissues, and

raised concerns over people’s increased potential for cancer when

exposed to hormones in beef.

The Europeans imposed the ban in 1988. Canada and the U.S. contested

the ban and won at the WTO, but the EU appealed on the grounds of

sanitary and phytosanitary measures. The EU veterinary committee

concluded in three different studies that no acceptable daily intake

could be established. Therefore, it would not tolerate the use of any

growth promotants.

The CCA published a fact sheet citing evidence that no risk exists

based on findings of the World Health Organization.

It said WHO did not set maximum residue limits in beef because there is

no difference in hormone levels in untreated and treated animals. The

hormones are used to promote faster gain and are all naturally

occurring substances found in a variety of meat and vegetables.

About the author

Barbara Duckworth

Barbara Duckworth

Barbara Duckworth has covered many livestock shows and conferences across the continent since 1988. Duckworth had graduated from Lethbridge College’s journalism program in 1974, later earning a degree in communications from the University of Calgary. Duckworth won many awards from the Canadian Farm Writers Association, American Agricultural Editors Association, the North American Agricultural Journalists and the International Agriculture Journalists Association.

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